Beyond The Bell

Students Find Opportunities For Enrichment In After-school Programs

March 04, 2001|By Annemarie Mannion. Special to the Tribune.

There was a time when the clang of a school bell was a signal for children to scatter, happy at being set free.

Not so today at middle and elementary schools throughout Chicago and the suburbs, where after classes end buildings are still abuzz with children who have stayed to play, snack, get a head start on homework and participate in a variety of other activities.

"Our philosophy is that schools should be open all day, year-round," said Paul Vallas, Chicago Public Schools chief.

"We're trying to take care of these kids the best we can," said Peter Noznich, assistant coordinator of School Age Child Care at Evanston Community Consolidated School District 65.

The Chicago Public Schools have 242,525 students in elementary grades through high school involved in after-school programs this school year.

The Evanston district, which has 12 elementary and middle schools, has 550 pupils enrolled in before- and after-school programs.

Diane McClellan, a professor of early childhood education at Governors State University in University Park, said before- and after-school programs began in earnest about 25 years ago and reflect a changing society.

"Schools started looking at child care as an option as women were entering the workplace," she said.

In years past, children might have gone to a relative's home while their parents worked, but those options may not be available for many families.

"We no longer have extended families in the neighborhoods, and schools are picking up the slack," McClellan said.

Vallas and school administrators say, however, that after-school programs are not merely baby-sitting.

Instead, the programs offer a variety of activities, from art classes to tutoring, from playing math games to bowling and hiking. Parents are advised to investigate which programs best suit their children's needs.

For instance, the Lighthouse program, offered at 401 Chicago public schools, is intended to give participants more time for reading and math. The program's structured classes follow lesson plans and are conducted by teachers.

Other programs offered by the Chicago public schools include social centers, which provide sports, recreation and arts and crafts to pupils at 475 elementary schools, and the Homework Connection Club, in which students at 250 elementary schools and 60 high schools can get help with homework.

Vallas said the Chicago public schools have opted to pay for after-school programs instead of extending the school day.

"The money that I spend on after-school programs [$20 million] would buy me an extra 15 minutes [of the school day]," he said.

The after-school programs are more cost-effective because they are overseen by retired teachers and college interns, he said. Schools also have flexibility in choosing which sort of after-school programs best suits their students, who are not charged.

The Lighthouse program, for instance, is mandatory for students who are behind academically, have frequent absences or have had behavior problems.

But in Evanston, the emphasis is on recreational, enrichment and social activities such as art classes, reading for fun, science projects, playing and tutoring.

The activities in Evanston revolve around a monthly theme such as the Old West or "Getting to Know You," Noznich said.

"We try to have a monthly theme that's fun," he said. "We're trying to be home for the children."

McClellan, who started an after-school program at a school in the south suburbs 25 years ago, agreed with Noznich that, in general, after-school programs should not be a repeat of the school day.

"We tried to create a homelike atmosphere," McClellan said. "We had snacks and lots of physical activities. It was really more of an enrichment program than a redoing of the school day."

And schools aren't the only institutions providing after-school enrichment.

In Evanston, for instance, several instructors from the non-profit Evanston Arts Center visit each of the district's schools once a week to conduct after-school art classes.

Debbie Fell, youth fine art and outreach coordinator for the arts center, said parents seem to want the programs to be enjoyable yet relevant.

"We try to link [art classes] with what they're doing [in the after-school program] and support it," Fell said.

For example, if the theme of the month at the Evanston schools is dinosaurs, she said, the art instructors would plan a project to reinforce that.

With many schools facing budget constraints that limit what they offer during the school day, Fell said the center's participation in the after-school program "is a way to supplement [schools] and give children more opportunities to learn."

In Evanston, the after-school program costs $50 a week per student for after-school care only, $25 a week for morning care only, and $75 a week for morning and afternoon care.

The Chicago Park District also runs an after-school program called Park Kids.